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anban's review against another edition
5.0
Everything is pretty normal for Cymbeline Igloo, apart from his name, and the fact he has never been swimming.
What starts off as a pretty uneventful school trip to the pool turns into his mother having a sudden breakdown and Cym's mission to find out exactly why his mum is so terrified of him being around water.
With the help of friends, old and new, and his bear, Mr Fluffy, Cym takes us on an adventure splattered with humour and hurt in equal measures as we find out if anything will ever be normal again. I completely disagree with anyone who claims this book isn't suitable for its suggested age range. Yes it deals with difficult topics of death, mental health, and family secrets but that is exactly what kids need. While this might be a fabricated story there are many young people who go through these experiences and reading a book from the point of view of one of their own, a child of nine with the sense of humour to match, will give them hope and understanding that they are not alone in those experiences.
I loved this book. Sure it's silly in places and dark in others but that's what makes it brilliant.
What starts off as a pretty uneventful school trip to the pool turns into his mother having a sudden breakdown and Cym's mission to find out exactly why his mum is so terrified of him being around water.
With the help of friends, old and new, and his bear, Mr Fluffy, Cym takes us on an adventure splattered with humour and hurt in equal measures as we find out if anything will ever be normal again. I completely disagree with anyone who claims this book isn't suitable for its suggested age range. Yes it deals with difficult topics of death, mental health, and family secrets but that is exactly what kids need. While this might be a fabricated story there are many young people who go through these experiences and reading a book from the point of view of one of their own, a child of nine with the sense of humour to match, will give them hope and understanding that they are not alone in those experiences.
I loved this book. Sure it's silly in places and dark in others but that's what makes it brilliant.
shershenk's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
It’s hard for me to rate a middle grade novel. I expected to love this because I usually find the way books for kids handle tough topics. This was not really about grief, as was advertised. It’s sad. In so many ways it is sad. The twist was wholly unexpected, though. I will give it that
tasha34's review against another edition
4.0
I read this along with my daughter. Pretty good for a kid’s book.
emhromp's review against another edition
3.0
Vooral om het begin van het boek heb ik erg gelachen. De schrijver leek precies de juiste toon voor een komisch drama gevonden te hebben. Daarna werd het, wat mij betreft, een doorsnee verhaal. Eigenlijk zijn er opvallend veel boeken met kinderen die zichzelf moeten zien te redden omdat de ouders druk zijn met hun eigen sores.
alicebennett's review against another edition
5.0
This is my new favourite children's novel for KS2.
It tugs on your heartstrings, following the story of Cymbeline who lives happily with mum until one day when is pushed into the swimming pool at school and everyone discovers that he cannot swim. After this near-death experience his Mum turns up at the pool in hysterics, yelling at the coach and teacher for failing to look after him. Things begin to change as Cym wakes up the next day to his Uncle Bill getting him sorted for school and asks after his Mum. He is constantly left in the dark as the adults around him keep secrets and my heart ached for wanting to give him the support he so clearly needed.
It will take four amazing friends, a kind receptionist and an old car to solve the mystery of what is going on with Cym's mother, her disappearance from the hospital and the discovery of a huge secret that has been buried for many years.
The title of the book is so clever because the protagonist is both literally and metaphorically drowning throughout the novel, such great craft. A story of friendship, bravery and kindness.
It tugs on your heartstrings, following the story of Cymbeline who lives happily with mum until one day when is pushed into the swimming pool at school and everyone discovers that he cannot swim. After this near-death experience his Mum turns up at the pool in hysterics, yelling at the coach and teacher for failing to look after him. Things begin to change as Cym wakes up the next day to his Uncle Bill getting him sorted for school and asks after his Mum. He is constantly left in the dark as the adults around him keep secrets and my heart ached for wanting to give him the support he so clearly needed.
It will take four amazing friends, a kind receptionist and an old car to solve the mystery of what is going on with Cym's mother, her disappearance from the hospital and the discovery of a huge secret that has been buried for many years.
The title of the book is so clever because the protagonist is both literally and metaphorically drowning throughout the novel, such great craft. A story of friendship, bravery and kindness.
laurencarter's review against another edition
4.0
If you want to cry, this is for you.
Beautifully raw and important for kids (and adults too) - well written and heartbreaking
Beautifully raw and important for kids (and adults too) - well written and heartbreaking
carat's review against another edition
3.0
I clearly did not read the write up properly. I thought this was going to be some easy read magical mystery. Instead it is a story about mental illness through the eyes of a 9 year old.
Well written and quite interesting just not what I thought I was going to read
Well written and quite interesting just not what I thought I was going to read
saharareads's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
ellirocks's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
ithil's review against another edition
4.0
Waterstone´s kids book of the month June 2018
As always I would like to start stating that I received this book as a proof copy from the publishers, but this will not affect my opinion of it.
At the beginning I was a bit doubtful as the plot of this books seemed to be aimed to older children that what it stated (9-12). However, I would not say a kid not to read the book as it deals with topics that need to be spoken aloud. Maybe with the intention of protecting them we do the opposite, and they may feel locked in the dark without answers. This book may help a kid that may be going through something similar. Or even the whole family. I’ve detailed below the triggers marked as spoilers because, well, they are spoilers.
Cym´s circumstances are a bit peculiar and very tough for a kid, although at the beginning he is not fully aware of them. The book narrates his journey through them starting from an accident at the pool to the truth of what happened in his family. He not only has to deal with the invisible obstacles from the past, but with some of his family not helping him at all.
I adored Cym, I found his sense of humour and his way to narrate the story one of the best things of the book. Because although he may describe such hard and complicated topics, he manages to keep going forward always, motivated by the truth and his love to his mother. And he does not do it alone, which I found to be another very important statement of the book: you may have problems, and some of your “friends” may turn you back on you when things get complicated, but the real ones won´t, so please reach out for help.
It is a very realistic book, with very real characters and at the same time, beautifully written in a way that becomes addictive. I needed to know what happened and how it happened and I wanted to hug Cym and at the same time, take his hand and run towards the truth.
SPOILERS.
TRIGGER WARNING: mother dealing with mental health problems, death of a parent, death of a sibling.
As always I would like to start stating that I received this book as a proof copy from the publishers, but this will not affect my opinion of it.
At the beginning I was a bit doubtful as the plot of this books seemed to be aimed to older children that what it stated (9-12). However, I would not say a kid not to read the book as it deals with topics that need to be spoken aloud. Maybe with the intention of protecting them we do the opposite, and they may feel locked in the dark without answers. This book may help a kid that may be going through something similar. Or even the whole family. I’ve detailed below the triggers marked as spoilers because, well, they are spoilers.
Cym´s circumstances are a bit peculiar and very tough for a kid, although at the beginning he is not fully aware of them. The book narrates his journey through them starting from an accident at the pool to the truth of what happened in his family. He not only has to deal with the invisible obstacles from the past, but with some of his family not helping him at all.
I adored Cym, I found his sense of humour and his way to narrate the story one of the best things of the book. Because although he may describe such hard and complicated topics, he manages to keep going forward always, motivated by the truth and his love to his mother. And he does not do it alone, which I found to be another very important statement of the book: you may have problems, and some of your “friends” may turn you back on you when things get complicated, but the real ones won´t, so please reach out for help.
It is a very realistic book, with very real characters and at the same time, beautifully written in a way that becomes addictive. I needed to know what happened and how it happened and I wanted to hug Cym and at the same time, take his hand and run towards the truth.
SPOILERS.
TRIGGER WARNING: mother dealing with mental health problems, death of a parent, death of a sibling.